I know most people don’t panic over the thought of turkey day. But most people won’t be spending it with their ex-in-laws. Though, truth be told, are in-laws ever ex? And while I enjoy my ex’s family, there is one small part of this holiday celebration sending me over the edge.

After ten years of bringing Caesar salad to the festivities, I’ve been promoted to pumpkin pie.

Don’t get me wrong! I’ve been wanting a promotion for years. Now that the kids are older, it’s a little easier for me to make a more complex dish. Let’s face it, Caesar salad isn’t really rocket science.

Still, to go from a mild mannered salad to a pie is a bit of a shock. Especially since I don’t bake.

So I gathered the kids around and we did what we always do in moments of indecision and panic. We went to Pinterest.

We searched for pumpkin pie recipes and discovered one so delicious looking, so festive, Elizabeth insisted we make it. Joseph gave me a kiss and told me I could do it. I stared at the flawless picture and wondered if my children were delusional.

For there on the page was a pumpkin pie to reign over all pumpkin pies. The deep orange was surrounded by a ring of golden crust so flakey it looked as if it would crumble if I touched the screen. Atop the baked pumpkin a design of leaves and vines was cut out of pie crust and twirled artistically in a design so complex, I was pretty sure it was fake.

Mandy Dawson is the creator of In Mandyland, an almost daily blog recording her adventures in juggling a full-time job, two active children, four arguing hens, a fluffy bunny, and one ex-husband. A self-diagnosed gardening and crafting addict, she often finds herself gluing together clay pots and trying to discover the cure for brown thumb. When she’s not writing, she can be found burning dinners while she stares off into space with a story idea. She was a regular contributor for Makes Fun of Stuff, Aiming Low, and Six Kitchens, and has been featured on BlogHer and Mamapedia. She is an Assistant Editor for Write on Edge and has had her fiction featured in three anthologies currently available on Amazon.